By CSULB Esports Association
on Friday, September 27, 2019
In this article, Tiffany “Xyras” Lam, a 4th-year Computer Science major, reflects on how she got into gaming despite familial opposition and her smooth transition from branch manager to vice president.
So who is Xyras outside of the club?
I’m a 4th-year Computer Science major who has a crippling addiction to boba
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I’m the membership chair for ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) where I help write newsletters and assist in event planning, such as BeachHacks , our school’s annual hackathon. For those who don’t know, a hackathon is a group coding challenge with a deadline.
I used to stream but my computer hasn’t been able to keep up so it’s been difficult. Hopefully I’ll be able to build a PC when I graduate and get my own place!
I’m also CSULB’s student ambassador for CORSAIR, which means I’m the middle woman whenever our club wants to collaborate with CORSAIR!
What got you into video games in general?
When I was about eight years old, I started playing Pokémon on my DS and I think what appealed to me at the time was the cute Pokémon. From there, I began to play more Nintendo games such as Animal Crossing, Legend of Zelda, and even other Pokémon games.
Seven years later, I started playing League of Legends on my 15th birthday and it’s been my main game to this day. I enjoy interacting with other people online so I tend to play more multiplayer games than singler player ones.
Since all multiplayer games require an IGN, how did you come up with yours?
My og/first IGN was xyras and I created it because I liked the letters x y and s so I mashed some vowels in and voila xyras (zy · ras).
I tried to stick with one IGN but they would always be taken on whatever game I wanted to try out. Heyori is my twitch handle and I like the name Heyori just because it’s cute and a play on hiyori which is from one of my favorite anime, Noragami.
What made you decide to join CSULB Esports & Gaming Association?
I wanted to pursue a video game/entertainment field and get involved with school at the same time. Luckily, I heard about this club and have been with them for almost 2 years now. My parents were always against gaming back home and I wanted to show them that leadership and opportunities can and will arise from gaming if you go for it.
What is the club like now compared to when you first joined?
When I first joined, I didn’t really know anyone so I only showed up to one meeting. Despite that, I read the newsletters that were sent via e-mail and it was pretty cool to see that there were other events that wasn’t just about gaming.
So walk us through your journey from then being a club member to now being the Vice President.
After some time, I applied to be an intern and became one for the League of Legends branch. When the previous branch manager took over as the club secretary, I took his place for a year. Near the end of Spring 2019, I decided to apply for the VP role because I felt like I had a pretty good understanding of how the club should prosper and grow. Over the last year, I helped connect other companies with the club so we could get more sponsors/prizes. I also feel like I’m fairly responsible when it comes to organizing activities.
What has the transition been like from LoL Branch Manager to VP? Do you think having that position helped prepare you for VP?
It’s been pretty fluid; the main difference is just that I have more meetings that I would need to attend. Once meetings start happening more often, I have a feeling that things’ll get more hectic. Despite that, having a position prior to VP has helped prepare me because I was able to get into the VP mindset easier.
Plus, I was fortunate in working with Anthony when I was still Branch Manager. Since LoL is his main game, it felt easier to collaborate with him on a game that we were both familiar with. He’s a great leader even when things may go haywire. I think a strong backbone is a good quality to have as a leader because if the president starts panicking, the whole club panics.
Speaking of Anthony, what has it been like working with him?
I help him brainstorm and offer my opinions so it’s not just a one-man army. Being president is an overwhelming position so I really hope that I can help alleviate some of the pressure by providing a different perspective for him!
Now that you are VP, what are some of your goals?
I will definitely try to get more members, help the club attend a local gaming convention, and connect our competitive players and regular members. Hopefully, we’d also be able to stream our meetings more, maybe even from a board member’s perspective so it’s almost like a vlog to show off all the different angles of the club.
So those are all doable goals. What about if you could change something about the club without having to worry about potential consequences, what would it be?
I wish our clubroom was better suited for gaming. Since everyone is gathering to play, the Wi-Fi can get jammed with everyone trying to access the internet. I’d also want a secure and consistent storage room so not everything is at our board members’ houses. If we forget something, it might not be so easy to drive back home to get it!
I know you’re still new to the position but what are some things you’ve taken away from this experience, coming in as a new member and then becoming Vice President two years later?
Just being a club member can be intimidating, especially if you don’t know anyone. I recommend members to try and attend a meeting! We can definitely hang out during meetings if you’re alone and want to meet someone new!
Once you’ve gotten your bearings, you can also jump into an intern position. Both sides will benefit because it helps out our club by having another opinion and you’ll get some experience!
And if you think you have what it takes, you can definitely apply as an officer. Yes, you’ll have more responsibilities but it’ll really help you grow as a person. Not only do you gain valuable experience, but also confidence!
If you want an even bigger challenge, you could sign up for an internal board (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Teams Coordinator) position! We really need dedicated people because these people don’t just love games; they are persistent, devoted and want our club to prosper.
Thank you for your answers. Any final comments?
Follow my Twitch: Twitch.tv/heyori! Who knows, I might start streaming again once I get a new computer. Also if anyone has any questions about the club, they are always welcome to PM me on discord: xyras#9614!